Miracle fall to Cubs 11-9

May 18, 2014

Despite a four-run rally in the ninth Fort Myers Miracle dropped game two of a four-game series 11-9 against the Daytona Cubs Saturday night at Hammond Stadium.

Daytona posted a pair of runs in the second inning to take an early lead. Chadd Krist reached on a two-base throwing error by Miracle starter Jason Wheeler. Two batters later, Marco Hernandez doubled Krist home. Zeke DeVoss followed with a RBI single to plate Hernandez and put the Cubs up 2-0.

The Cubs scored four runs in the third. Wheeler (2-4) hit Bijan Rademacher with a pitch to lead off the frame. Back-to-back doubles by Krist and Jeimer Candelario resulted in two runs and a single by DeVoss brought home two to increase the score to 6-0.

Wheeler's night ended after 2 2/3 innings and six runs, four earned, on two walks and eight hits. The southpaw was tagged with the loss.

Daytona knocked in two more between the fourth and fifth innings.

The Miracle ended the shutout with five runs off Cubs starter Tayler Scott in the bottom of the fifth. Adam Brett Walker singled to begin the frame and advanced to third on a Mike Gonzales' double. Jairo Rodriguez delivered a sacrifice fly to plate Walker and Aderling Mejia slashed a two-base hit to bring home Gonzales.

With two on and two out, Dalton Hicks slapped a three-run blast to left for his second home run of the year. Scott (3-3) was chased from the game and Michael Jensen halted the Miracle assault to keep the score at 8-5.

Brandon Peterson and Madison Boer finished the final three frames for the Miracle, combining for three runs and pushing the Cubs advantage to 11-5.

Fort Myers mustered a rally in the ninth off reliever Stephen Perakslis. Travis Harrison lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Mejia. Max Kepler finished a 3-for-5 night with a single to load the bases. Walker then laced a three-run double for the final 11-9 margin. Austin Reed replaced Perakslis and recorded the final out.

Fort Myers native Dan Vogelbach finished 2-for-6 with two doubles and two RBI for the Cubs.

Scott snagged the win for the Cubs after 4 2/3 innings and five earned runs on seven hits. Reed gained his first save of the season.